Ellen White: Woman of Vision

The General Conference Committee Rejects the Manuscript

A committee of four had been appointed to give study to Kellogg's manuscript, The Living Temple, and make a report at the Autumn Council. The majority report stated: WV 438.7

“That, we find in the book Living Temple nothing which appears to us to be contrary to the Bible or fundamental principles of the Christian religion, and that we see no reason why it may not be recommended by the Committee for circulation in the manner suggested.” (Ibid., 27). WV 438.8

[Signed] A. T. Jones, J. H. Kellogg, David Paulson

The minority report, written by W. W. Prescott, read: WV 439.1

“I am compelled to say that I regard the matter, outside those portions of the book which deal with physiology and hygiene, as leading to harm rather than good; and I venture to express the hope that it will never be published” (Ibid.). WV 439.2

The General Conference Committee accepted the minority report. In the discussion that followed, according to the minutes, the author requested the privilege of withdrawing the book from consideration. But, according to Elder Daniells, it was not long before Kellogg jumped to his feet and demanded an open hearing so that everybody from the sanitarium and Review and Herald could hear both sides of the matter. He argued that it should not be confined to a small meeting of the General Conference brethren. So it was decided to hold such a meeting in the Review and Herald chapel. Daniells expected that only a relatively few people from the Review and Herald would be able to get off work to attend, although the chapel would hold a big crowd. However, when they met at 8:30 in the morning, the room was packed to the anteroom and down the stairs. The meetings lasted until noon. WV 439.3

Elder Daniells reviewed the history of the church's medical work, the steps being taken to bring the finances into line, and the pantheistic teachings in the galleys of The Living Temple. In the afternoon Dr. Kellogg presented his side of the story. Elder Daniells felt that he faced a real crisis in this situation and spent much of the night in study and prayer. The next morning as the Autumn Council attempted to proceed with business, Dr. Kellogg was present with a big pile of books. He asked for a point of privilege that he might present the fact that “from the first, Elder James White, George I. Butler, and all ... leaders have been absolutely opposed to this medical department of the denomination” (DF 15a, AGD, “How the Denomination Was Saved From Pantheism,” copy A, p. 13). WV 439.4

The brethren listened for a while. Finally one of the men stood and asked: WV 439.5

“Mr. Chairman. I rise to a point of order. I cannot sit here in this committee and listen to these harsh terms that Dr. Kellogg is using against our venerable founder and leader [James White]. I wish the chairman to call him down” (Ibid.). WV 439.6

The chairman accepted the proposition and declared, “I will say to Dr. Kellogg, ‘We do not wish any more of this. You will please terminate your subject’” (Ibid., 13, 14). He did, but under protest. WV 439.7

Undaunted, Dr. Kellogg placed a personal order with the Review to print The Living Temple. About a month later the Review and Herald burned, and the plates for the book, which stood ready for the press, were destroyed by the fire. WV 440.1

It had been hoped that in connection with the destruction of the book plates in the Review and Herald fire, Dr. Kellogg would abandon the matter of publishing The Living Temple. Instead he sent the manuscript to a commercial printer in Battle Creek. Three thousand copies of the book were printed and began to make their way among Seventh-day Adventists. WV 440.2

When the book came from the press, discerning readers clearly saw that certain chapters were literally peppered with pantheistic teachings. Those in sympathy with the new philosophy held that this understanding of God would lead to holy living and to a deeper religious experience. As Seventh-day Adventist workers met, the conversation inevitably turned to the “new light” set forth in The Living Temple. Ellen White was still silent on the matter. The book was now in the field and being pressed upon the conferences with the urging that its sale would help to meet the costs of rebuilding the Battle Creek Sanitarium. WV 440.3

The leading officers of the General Conference, on July 31, 1903, wrote a letter to conference presidents, pointing out that the book had been considered at the 1902 Autumn Council, and that certain teachings in it were seriously questioned. WV 440.4

In the meantime the attention of many church leaders was much taken up with moving the Review and Herald and the General Conference headquarters. WV 440.5

Eventually, in the summer of 1903, a copy of The Living Temple arrived at Elmshaven. Ellen White did not look at it. This was not unusual, for often in a crisis she refrained from reading materials that had a bearing on the situation, lest it be said she was influenced by what she had read. On the basis of the light she received from the Lord, however, from time to time she mentioned the book. WV 440.6

Finally, as the crisis developed, Willie suggested to her that perhaps she should read some of the passages. So on September 23 he sat down by her side and went over some of the statements dealing with theological matters (22 WCW, p. 219). This put her in a better position to speak more specifically in regard to the book. WV 440.7

When she was questioned as to why she had not spoken publicly about it earlier, she stated that she had assumed that those who were leading the church would have wisdom to know how to deal with problems of this character. WV 440.8

Ellen White fully intended on several occasions at the 1903 General Conference to meet pantheistic teachings explicitly and face-to-face in an open meeting where Dr. Kellogg and his views would be completely exposed. But in each case she had been restrained from doing so. While at the session she was instructed in vision that she “must not say anything that would stir up confusion and strife in the conference” (DF 15c, W. A. Spicer, “How the Spirit of Prophecy Met a Crisis,” copy A, p. 30). WV 440.9

That the General Conference session should come to a close without the issues being squarely met was a matter of deep perplexity to not a few, including her own son, W. C. White. But most church leaders understood that God does not deal with such matters precipitously. He did not do so in dealing with Lucifer when he fell in heaven. Things must develop to a certain point before the issues could be met in a way that all would understand what they were and take a safe stand. And so it was seen in 1903 in the case concerning the pantheistic teachings. WV 441.1